Internet poker has become world famous recently, with televised tournaments and celebrity poker game events. The games popularity, though, arcs back in reality a bit further than its television scores. Over the years several variations on the original poker game have been created, including some games that are not really poker anymore. Caribbean stud poker is one of these particular games. Despite the name, Caribbean stud poker is most closely related to 21 than traditional poker, in that the players wager against the casino rather than the other players. The winning hands, are the traditional poker hands. There is little bluffing or other kinds of boondoggle. In Caribbean stud poker, you are expected to ante up just before the dealer announcing "No further wagers." At that instance, both you and the house and of course all of the other players are given 5 cards each. Once you have seen your hand and the dealer’s first card, you must either make a call bet or give up. The call bet’s value is akin to your original ante, which means that the stakes will have increased two fold. Surrendering means that your ante goes directly to the casino. After the bet is the conclusion. If the casino does not have ace/king or better, your bet is given back, plus a figure equal to the original bet. If the casino has a hand with ace/king or better, you win if your hand defeats the bank’s hand. The dealer pays cash even with your original bet and controlled expectations on your call bet. These expectations are:
- Even for a pair or high card
- 2-1 for two pairs
- 3-1 for 3 of a kind
- 4-1 for a straight
- 5-1 for a flush
- seven to one for a full house
- twenty to one for a four of a kind
- 50-1 for a straight flush
- 100-1 for a royal flush